Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to watermarks. More specifically, the present invention relates to watermark based printing records.
Description of the Related Art
Watermarks have been used as a way to validate (i.e. security feature) paper sources for valuable documents such as money and vouchers. In particular, watermarks are used to ensure that the document containing the watermark is an original. The use of watermarks prevents some methods of forgery such as photocopying since the actual watermark is not easily replicated.
Watermarks are identifying images or patterns that are embedded within paper. Watermarks are generally produced through the use of the dandy roll process or the cylinder mold process during the manufacturing stage of paper. Although a dandy roller is generally a mesh drum that picks up fibers associated with the paper during manufacturing, the term dandy roller is generally referencing any roller that creates watermarks on paper such as a cylinder mold). Based on the thickness or density variations in the paper, the watermarks are capable of appearing as various shades of light and dark when viewed by transmitted light.
By incorporating watermarks in paper, the tracking of paper can be implemented. For example, a particular sheet of paper can be identified with a particular date, size, mill (i.e. mill trademark/location) and quality.
There is a need for more sophisticated recording means useable with watermarks. The recording means can track specifically what information was printed on what pages of a document. In this way, verification can be performed to identify what information was on the pages that may have been previously printed and postmarked. Furthermore, verification can be used to determine what information was on pages that may have been lost or on pages that may have been substituted.